Deritend Installs McCain Potato Processing Line
Deritend HandK has installed a washing and de-stoning plant at McCain's potato specialities production plant at Wombourne, West Midlands. The plant's peeling and processing line has also been updated, and re-installed in a more flexible and efficient layout. Moving food production equipment requires a host of organisational skills, as well as planning, purchasing, fabrication, pipework, wiring, installation and commissioning expertise. It is not an everyday operation at large food-processing sites so, when faced with a project of some magnitude, McCain chose to outsource the task to a specialist company.
Skilled personnel from Deritend HandK form a permanent part of the maintenance team at the Wombourne plant. The majority of Deritend HandK's operational personnel have been working on this site for several years, and consequently they know the people and the equipment inside-out. The Wombourne plant is responsible for manufacturing ranges of McCain's frozen potato products, such as Smiles and Hash Browns. The objective of the production update at the plant was twofold: to increase the efficiency of the entire preparation operation and add flexibility, enabling faster changeovers and a leaner production flow.
The potato preparation process starts with potatoes arriving either from local farms - direct from the field, when in season; or at other times of the year, from McCain's own local warehouse. The potatoes arrive at the new washing plant having been graded and most of the loose soil removed; some stones still remain, however.
The first part of the process is a pre-wash, which feeds into the de-stoning section where the potatoes are floated around a slow moving water centrifuge that allows the stones to sink, removing them from the process. The potatoes are then scrubbed clean and fed into bunkers, which in-turn feed the processing line. The machinery that performs this entire operation was installed, wired and piped by Deritend HandK. Deritend HandK used a permanent on-site workshop for wiring and structural fabrication, such as walkways and pipework in anodised steel and stainless.
The rest of the engineering work was completed at the specially equipped Deritend HandK workshop in West Bromwich. The machine-moving aspect of the job was also undertaken by the Deritend HandK team. The team took ultimate responsibility for completion of the work, on schedule, and for ensuring that it did not disrupt the ongoing operation of the plant during the three- month changeover period. The cleaning process is a closed system, and is efficient at minimising water usage. The overall control of the system is based upon a factory PLC system interfaced to the washing plant by Deritend HandK, which also sourced and installed all the valve assemblies, pumps and conveyors, and completed all the associated cabling and commissioning.
The second stage of potato preparation involves the potatoes being pumped from the bunkers into the peeling and steaming room. All the equipment in this large area was moved by Deritend HandK, working with the McCain project team set-up to manage the suppliers and the final integration. Discussions were also held with the management team to keep the overall goals and objectives of the project at the forefront of the work being undertaken. The machine movement carried out within the plant required the fabrication of walkways, and the moving and installation of pumps, augers, conveyors and pipework, in addition to all the cabling requirements. All of the work was completed to food- grade wash-down specifications.
Two other aspects of the project that were essential to smooth and efficient running were safety and training. Deritend HandK took on the role of principle contractor with responsibility for the co-ordination of CDM safety regulation criteria, in conjunction with the McCain Group safety engineer. This required strict protocols to be applied to the physical conditions on the site, and the process of informing and updating associated contractors; these included civil engineers, construction companies and other involved parties. Regular safety briefings were carried out throughout the project at key intervals where plant layout and conditions were changed.
Skilled personnel from Deritend HandK form a permanent part of the maintenance team at the Wombourne plant. The majority of Deritend HandK's operational personnel have been working on this site for several years, and consequently they know the people and the equipment inside-out. The Wombourne plant is responsible for manufacturing ranges of McCain's frozen potato products, such as Smiles and Hash Browns. The objective of the production update at the plant was twofold: to increase the efficiency of the entire preparation operation and add flexibility, enabling faster changeovers and a leaner production flow.
The potato preparation process starts with potatoes arriving either from local farms - direct from the field, when in season; or at other times of the year, from McCain's own local warehouse. The potatoes arrive at the new washing plant having been graded and most of the loose soil removed; some stones still remain, however.
The first part of the process is a pre-wash, which feeds into the de-stoning section where the potatoes are floated around a slow moving water centrifuge that allows the stones to sink, removing them from the process. The potatoes are then scrubbed clean and fed into bunkers, which in-turn feed the processing line. The machinery that performs this entire operation was installed, wired and piped by Deritend HandK. Deritend HandK used a permanent on-site workshop for wiring and structural fabrication, such as walkways and pipework in anodised steel and stainless.
The rest of the engineering work was completed at the specially equipped Deritend HandK workshop in West Bromwich. The machine-moving aspect of the job was also undertaken by the Deritend HandK team. The team took ultimate responsibility for completion of the work, on schedule, and for ensuring that it did not disrupt the ongoing operation of the plant during the three- month changeover period. The cleaning process is a closed system, and is efficient at minimising water usage. The overall control of the system is based upon a factory PLC system interfaced to the washing plant by Deritend HandK, which also sourced and installed all the valve assemblies, pumps and conveyors, and completed all the associated cabling and commissioning.
The second stage of potato preparation involves the potatoes being pumped from the bunkers into the peeling and steaming room. All the equipment in this large area was moved by Deritend HandK, working with the McCain project team set-up to manage the suppliers and the final integration. Discussions were also held with the management team to keep the overall goals and objectives of the project at the forefront of the work being undertaken. The machine movement carried out within the plant required the fabrication of walkways, and the moving and installation of pumps, augers, conveyors and pipework, in addition to all the cabling requirements. All of the work was completed to food- grade wash-down specifications.
Two other aspects of the project that were essential to smooth and efficient running were safety and training. Deritend HandK took on the role of principle contractor with responsibility for the co-ordination of CDM safety regulation criteria, in conjunction with the McCain Group safety engineer. This required strict protocols to be applied to the physical conditions on the site, and the process of informing and updating associated contractors; these included civil engineers, construction companies and other involved parties. Regular safety briefings were carried out throughout the project at key intervals where plant layout and conditions were changed.
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